Re: Re: [amsat-bb] Re: Discovery Project: Which Mission Next?

[tlang@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Tony Langdon)]

Hello Jon!

30 Aug 00 15:43, you wrote to All:

 JO> Why is a child more deserving of a contact with an astronaut then an
 JO> adult? Personally, I've always dreamed of traveling into space and it
 JO> would be one of the greatest fulfillments of a lifetime to do so.  I

I used to dream of being an astronaut, ever since I was a kid (if I had my way,
it would have been me, not Andy Thomas as the first Aussie born in space :) ).

Oh well, can't have everything. :)

 JO> still have that boyhood dream in me.  Unfortunately, the way NASA
 JO> takes such baby steps with space travel at this point in time (and for
 JO> good reason or so I think), I likely will not be able to fulfill that
 JO> dream in my lifetime.  So being able to communicate with an astronaut
 JO> is just as much of a thrill for me as it is to a child.  I am not

Indeed.

 JO> saying we shouldn't do experiments for schools and special things and
 JO> so forth.  We should.  But we should also open it up to those of us
 JO> who also get special delights out of such things.  The original poster
 JO> had proposed AMSAT spend basically a fortune to put some hardware
 JO> on the moon and then limit it to broadcasting telemetry for
 JO> educational use. If AMSAT were to spend the money I give them on a
 JO> project like that, then I'd resign my membership in a heartbeat.  It's
 JO> fine to have demos for kids, but if we are going to spend money on
 JO> stuff then let's make it available to everyone, adults included.
 JO>
 JO> I see through the pipe just fine.

I tend to agree.  I think everyone should be catered for.  If you leave the
hams out, then you lower the enthusiasm to take part in educational projects,
IMHO.  Leaving the kids out is self-centred, IMHO.

Personally, go for balance, and give everyone a chance, and work together.  I'm
not in a position to directly assist schools during working hours, as I have my
own work commitments, but I would certainly support other education related
activities, such as an open day or fete where satellite/space comms were being
used.

Tony, VK3JED

.. "Bother," said Pooh, as he twitted his moderator.
--
|Fidonet:  Tony Langdon 3:633/284.18
|Internet: tlang@freeway.apana.org.au
|
| Standard disclaimer: The views of this user are strictly his own.


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